Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online 2026-1
Investigation of Fauna,Seasonal Activity of Sand Flies,Determination of Leishmaniasis Vectors,and Human Infection Through Molecular Methods in Bastak,Hormozgan Province,2021
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the most common vector-borne diseases worldwide and is prevalent in many parts of Iran. Phlebotomine sand flies act as vectors, transmitting the parasite through blood feeding on infected hosts. This study aimed to identify the fauna and seasonal activity of sand flies and to detect Leishmania DNA in vectors and human samples in rural areas of Bastak County, southern Iran, in 2021.
Materials and Methods:
A cross-sectional survey was conducted from March 2020 to February 2021. Sand flies were collected indoors and outdoors every 15 days using sticky traps. After morphological identification and activity assessment, DNA was extracted from a subset of sand flies and from human lesion samples. PCR was applied to detect the presence of Leishmania parasites.
Results:
A total of 2,747 sand flies were collected and identified. Activity showed two peaks, one in early March and another in early October. Eleven species were recorded, including four Phlebotomus and seven Sergentomyia species. Phlebotomus alexandri was the most abundant (49.1%). No Leishmania DNA was detected in captured sand flies, whereas human samples revealed PCR bands (650 bp) consistent with L. major.
Conclusion:
The presence of P. alexandri and P. papatasi as dominant species highlights their potential epidemiological importance in Bastak County. These findings provide baseline information on sand fly fauna and activity, emphasizing the need for continued entomological surveillance and molecular monitoring to better understand leishmaniasis transmission in the region.
AlexanderB. Sampling methods for phlebotomine sandflies. Med Vet Entomol, 2000; 14(2):109–122; doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2915.2000.00237.x
2.
AltenB, MaiaC, AfonsoMO, et al.Seasonal dynamics of phlebotomine sand fly species proven vectors of Mediterranean leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum. PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2016; 10(2):e0004458; doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004458
3.
AransayAM, ScoulicaE, TselentisY. Detection and identification of Leishmania DNA within naturally infected sand flies by seminested PCR on minicircle kinetoplastic DNA. Appl Environ Microbiol, 2000; 66(5):1933–1938; doi: 10.1128/AEM.66.5.1933-1938.2000
4.
AziziK, AskariMB, KalantariM, et al.Molecular detection of Leishmania parasites and host blood meal identification in wild sand flies from a new endemic rural region, south of Iran. Pathog Glob Health, 2016; 110(7–8):303–309; doi: 10.1080/20477724.2016.1253530
5.
AziziK, Moemenbellah-FardM, FakoorzibaM, et al.Gerbillus nanus (Rodentia: Muridae): A new reservoir host of Leishmania major. Ann Trop Med Parasitol, 2011; 105(6):431–437; doi: 10.1179/1364859411Y.0000000036
6.
AziziK, RassiY, Moemenbellah-FardMD. PCR-based detection of Leishmania major kDNA within naturally infected Phlebotomus papatasi in southern Iran. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 2010; 104(6):440–442; doi: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2010.01.008
7.
AziziK, SoltaniA, AlipourH. Molecular detection of Leishmania isolated from cutaneous leishmaniasis patients in Jask County, Hormozgan Province, Southern Iran, 2008. Asian Pac J Trop Med, 2012; 5(7):514–517; doi: 10.1016/S1995-7645(12)60090-X
8.
GhateeMA, TaylorWR, KaramianM. The geographical distribution of cutaneous leishmaniasis causative agents in Iran and its neighboring countries, a review. Front Public Health, 2020; 8:11; doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00011
9.
HajjaranH, MohebaliM, MamishiS, et al.Molecular identification and polymorphism determination of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis agents isolated from human and animal hosts in Iran. Biomed Res Int, 2013; 2013(1):789326; doi: 10.1155/2013/789326
10.
Hanafi-BojdAA, KhoobdelM, Soleimani-AhmadiM, et al.Species composition of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) and modeling the spatial distribution of main vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Hormozgan Province, Southern Iran. J Med Entomol, 2018; 55(2):292–299; doi: 10.1093/jme/tjx205
11.
JahanifardE, Yaghoobi-ErshadiMR, AkhavanAA, et al.Diversity of sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) in southwest Iran with emphasis on synanthropy of Phlebotomus papatasi and Phlebotomus alexandri. Acta Trop, 2014; 140:173–180; doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2014.08.017
12.
KarimiA, Hanafi-BojdAA, Yaghoobi-ErshadiMR, et al.Spatial and temporal distributions of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae), vectors of leishmaniasis, in Iran. Acta Trop, 2014; 132:131–139; doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2014.01.004
13.
KatoH, BoneAE, MimoriT, et al.First human cases of Leishmania (Viannia) lainsoni infection and a search for the vector sand flies in Ecuador. PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2016; 10(5):e0004728; doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004728
14.
MirhoseiniM, SalehzadehA, Ramazan JamaatS, et al.distribution and seasonal activity of phlebotominae sand flies in Yazd and its outskirts, center of Iran. Scientific World Journal, 2017; 2017(1):1486845; doi: 10.1155/2017/1486845
15.
MohammadiS, RassiY, OshaghiMA, et al.Fauna and monthly activity of sand flies at zoonotic cutaneous leishmanianisis focus in Damghan district, Semnan province (2008). Iran J Arthropod-Borne Dis, 2010; 4(2):1–8.
16.
NadimA, JavadianE. Key for species identification of sandflies (Phlebotominae; Diptera) of Iran. Iran J Public Health, 1976; 5(1):1–17.
17.
NasiriZ, KalantariM, MohammadiJ, et al.Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran: A review of epidemiological aspects, with emphasis on molecular findings. Parasite, 2022; 29:47; doi: 10.1051/parasite/2022047
18.
Nouroozi KouhT, Hoghooghi RadN, NavidpourS, et al.Molecular Identification of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Vectors in Alborz Province, North of Iran. Arch Razi Inst, 2023; 78(4):1277–1284; doi: 10.32592/ARI.2023.78.4.1277
19.
PareynM, HendrickxR, GirmaN, et al.Evaluation of a pan-Leishmania SL RNA qPCR assay for parasite detection in laboratory-reared and field-collected sand flies and reservoir hosts. Parasit Vectors, 2020; 13(1):276; doi: 10.1186/s13071-020-04141-y
20.
PombiM, GiacomiA, BarlozzariG, et al.Molecular detection of Leishmania (Sauroleishmania) tarentolae in human blood and Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum in Sergentomyia minuta: Unexpected host‐parasite contacts. Med Vet Entomol, 2020; 34(4):470–475; doi: 10.1111/mve.12464
21.
RazaviMR, ShirzadiMR, MohebaliM, et al.Human cutaneous leishmaniosis in Iran, up to date-2019. J Arthropod Borne Dis, 2021; 15(2):143–151; doi: 10.18502/jad.v15i2.7483
22.
RogersME, BatesPA. Leishmania manipulation of sand fly feeding behavior results in enhanced transmission. PLoS Pathog, 2007; 3(6):e91; doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.0030091
23.
Sanei-DehkordiA, Soleimani-AhmadiM, ZareM, et al.Epidemiological features of cutaneous leishmaniasis and distribution of sand flies in an endemic area in southeast of Iran. Parasite Epidemiol Control, 2021; 14:e00220; doi: 10.1016/j.parepi.2021.e00220
24.
SchönianG, KuhlsK, MauricioI. Molecular approaches for a better understanding of the epidemiology and population genetics of Leishmania. Parasitology, 2011; 138(4):405–425; doi: 10.1017/S0031182010001538
25.
SchönianG, NasereddinA, DinseN, et al.PCR diagnosis and characterization of Leishmania in local and imported clinical samples. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 2003; 47(1):349–358; doi: 10.1016/s0732-8893(03)00093-2
26.
ScodroR, Reinhold-CastroKR, Dias-SversuttiA, et al.Investigation of natural infection by Leishmania in sandflies of Paraná State, Southern Brazil. Braz Arch Biol Technol, 2008; 51(3):483–491; doi: 10.1590/S1516-89132008000300007
27.
ShimabukuroPHF, de AndradeAJ, GalatiE. Checklist of American sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae): Genera, species, and their distribution. Zookeys, 2017(660):67–106; doi: 10.3897/zookeys.660.10508
28.
SteverdingD. The history of leishmaniasis. Parasit Vectors, 2017; 10(1):82; doi: 10.1186/s13071-017-2028-5
29.
UlianaSRB, AffonsoMHT, CamargoEP, et al.Leishmania: genus identification based on a specific sequence of the 18S ribosomal RNA sequence. Exp Parasitol, 1991; 72(2):157–163; doi: 10.1016/0014-4894(91)90133-h
30.
Yaghoobi-ErshadiM. Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Iran and their role on Leishmania transmission. J Arthropod Borne Dis, 2012; 6(1):1–17.
